, 1887-01-27
SIGN OF THE THREE BALLS.
A Chat with the Proprietor-sights In
Junk

h a field to the imaginative mind
Is conjured up by the sign of three balls.
Let not the impecunious young man when
he resorts furtively to the house of his
uncle be unduly Inundated. Other
young men as well connected as he have
gone before him and will come after
him; and. indeed, if he deal with q first
GLASS establishment for there are pawn
brokers and paw%nbrokers), he will find
his host a very model of delicacy and dis
erection.
Enter a needy gentlewoman, heavily
yelled, at the ladies' entrance. Timidly
abe gazes around and finds herself in a
long, narrow hall, scrupulously neat and
well carpeted, from one side of which
opens a row Of little rooms. On the OPP
posfte wall a framed placard in gilt let
tiers assures her that all will be conducted
upon a strictly confidential basis, and
that any neglect or impertinence on the
part of employees is to be reported at the
office. A de%ferential clerk motions her
to a seat in one of the little rooms, which
is comfortably furnished and even decor
ated with photographs of actors and
actresses. II in immediate straits, she
may pledge her $3.50 sealskin for $25, or
a valuable ring for the price of two days
board. If not, she will keep her sacque
or her ring and go her way, musing upon
the exceeding bitterness of want that ad-
mits of no alternative. The average
dealer in collaterals is not a creature of
tender sensibilities. But were the an
omaly of an impressionable pawnbroker
to be found gifted with the powers Of a
%reconteur, n might spend a week with
him for the sake of hearing what he
could tell or suggest in the way Of ro-
nance.
This watch with a chased monogram,
is not he same that young Newoombe
Montmorency said was at the jewelers.
for repairing Verify it is. And when
n considers the infinitesimal salary of
young Newcombe, the flowers and opera
tickets which he lavishes upon Miss
Midas, h bills for carriage hire and per-
fumery! Poor fellowl Why, it is all as
plain rs h nose on a mans face. And
that necklace! Surely the visitor had
seen that before. And was it a week or
a fortnight ago that Miss Midas maid
was seen stealthily emerging from the
rear entrance? Well, it is a known fact
that dressmakers and milliners have no
c~onsciences. and the ''horrid things
must be paid somehow, unless one chooses
to make ones own hats and dresses and
look like a fright" and what is one to
do with bills coming in and a father that
RACES and swears and asks questions
about every one?
That rare old meerschaum-what hours
of quiet smoking and meditation it sug-
gests!
That quaint silver tankard? My uncle
is afraid that was not honestly come by.
1t was put up" by a tough looking
customer, who was afterward wanted for
burglary.
"And that locket? 1t was brought in
by a handsome woman who had seen
better days. You'll sec her initials in
diamonds IN the other side. A very
striking looking woman. She seemed
quite desperate. too. Well, the next
week l read of q suicide, and recognized
her by the description. l even went
around to the morgue to make certain.
Yes, yes, it's o very sad business. But
often things are redeemed. Why. yes
terday q man took back his wife's dia-
monds that had been in pawn for ten
years. And some very swell people come
here to buy things. You'd be surprised
at the number of elegant Christmas and
wedding presents we sell-jewelry, etc.
Polish EN- up you know, and you won't
know EN- from hrst hand. The people
who get EN- tmnk they all came from
some OF those high toned places. And
my uncle chuckled complacently at the
recollection.
The junk shop. dark and ill smelling,
reeks of the sea. Sails and cordage are
there, and all manner of lotsam; old iron
and copper, rags, sacks and bottles, and
heaps of unclassified rubbish. Is it pos
sible that there can be a demand for such
trash! All. yes; here is our old friend,
the rag, sack and bottle man himself
just as dirty, just as gruff as ever. But
he is not bargaining for big bottles at Il
cent q piece now. and. in a non-profes-
sional mood. relaxes 10 quite a clever old
fellow. One learns from him how the
sails are repaired for use or cut into
smaller sails; how the bottles are washed
and resold. and work their way back into
good society; how the iron is remelted,
utilized in hardware and the manufact-
ure of horseshoes, cheap wagons, etc.
1t was here, now, that Jack Benedict
found that marvellous pair of brass fire
dogs, which pass with the uninitiated for
an heirloom, IN are the envy and adj
miration of his friends. He bought them
for a song, and when he took them home
only the eye of faith could pierce the